Wardi - I got straight though. Paid via Paypal and got confirmation but then my name didn't appear on the list and the entry was still in the shopping basket. I tried to contact the administrator though the site but the message crashed. After an anxious hour I processed it again using my card and its now through... but I've paid £40.

MsE - just had a skim through the Hanson plan - best of luck if you decide to try it - I wouldn't have the confidence to cap the long runs at 16 miles. Also I'm not convinced that anyone (Hanson's partner) would deliberately follow a marathon plan they insisted wouldn't work, just to prove their point -

On the road later and v busy so:
Hope to see some of you at Abingdon, as ever I'm the tall baldy geezer in the yellow Stockport kit, no 119. Good luck to all.
Ditto Lorenzo, have a good one and make it sub4 at the very least.

"There are two possible pronunciations of the word scone: the first rhymes with gone and the second rhymes with tone. In US English the pronunciation rhyming with tone is more common. In British English the two pronunciations traditionally have different regional and class associations, with the first pronunciation associated with the north of England and the northern working class, while the second is associated with the south and the middle class."

XC for me today. Ouch. Got a stitch towards the end of the first lap and had to run poking my finger into my side for the next 2.2 miles. Managed to hold my position but got distinctly slower and slower. There was some good mud though, and I got covered in it! Rubbish time but 16th is OK for the North Mids league - fairly easy courses, lots of speedy folks. East Mids League tomorrow - shorter but tougher courses that the fast runners rarely bother with. Should finish a bit higher up the field!

SD - nice running; not such good typing!Speedy - double fixture weekend. All the best for tomorrow. You must love the mud. And of course all the best again to the Abo crew and Lorenzo toughing it out at Greensand.I'm not really fussed about how your pronounce Scone, as long as it comes with jam and clotted cream I'm a happy bunny 11 slow miles for me this morning to make a total of 38 for the week.

Went out this morning - my weekly outing whilst awaiting op - what a glorious morning. Took my favourite trail - just the sound of the stream running alongside, birds singing in the trees, dappled with the sunlight. Did the 6 mile loop (will record 5 as had one or two walk/contemplation breaks), and my knee will hurt later, but good to remind myself of the joy of simply putting one foot in front of the other on such a golden autumn day.

Proper XC this morning - mud, more mud, some knee deep marshes, more mud... Started too far back (quite by accident - we had no idea in which direction we'd be running from the start line) and it took me ages to catch up to girls I'd normally be well ahead of. Also the Uni had turned out in force. I picked my way through the field as best I could, but the paths were mostly quite narrow and lined with spikey bushes and nettles. In the last half mile there were two Uni girls in my sights, but 5 men inbetween them and me. I managed to get passed all of the blokes eventually, but ran out of course to chase down the two girls. 9th place, which is a bit rubbish for this league, but at least I didn't get a stitch this time.

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